For a school to be truly selective, acceptance rate, yield rate, and student stats all should be all high.
WP has elite level acceptance rate(9%) and HYPMS level yield rate, but student stats are very mediocre.

Limited spots(little over 1k) and Zero cost probably drive up the acceptance rate and yield rate.
Also when you apply for these kinds of school, you have very high interest of committing, thus high yield.
Apparently high stat kids are not interested in the school and the kind of lifestyle.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree that this is apples and oranges. Service academies are like college applications plus a fitness tests plus a hardcore medical "test" plus a nomination.

So many kids get medically disqualified. PPs with a kid with a Ivy-worthy stats, look at your kid...is he colorblind? Ever have asthma? Eczema? Therapy? Anxiety or Depression in her past? Disqualified...

You get disqualified for eczema?

Automatic DQ.

You have to think of it this way...you're in some place, say a jungle, hacking a trail, and have an eczema flare that is so bad that you have to be sent home. It's bad enough if you are an enlisted person, but the service academies are training the leaders. So now you, the leader of all these soldiers, are being sent home...who is going to replace you?

So they are really hard-core on medical.

And any mental stuff...forget it. They do not want anyone cracking under pressure. It's not "I have to take an exam" pressure, it could be "I need to get my team out of here alive" pressure. It can't be, "We are in a fire-fight, where is my Zoloft"

(I have thought about this a lot because I've got one DC who is applying and another DC who couldn't get past square 1. But that DC is doing well in a T10)

So, for my DC who is applying to service academies: she took the SAT her sophomore year and has a 1530. She's straight A in the most rigorous classes (in 3 years, has one A- only). Incredible athlete.

Again, it's apples and oranges. If she was focused on civilian colleges, she'd probably re-take the SAT for a superscore. However, even with a superscore, I doubt she could get into an Ivy, ----not because of her stats, but because her school has so many legacy kids, she'd be shut out as she has no hooks. Her counselor even told her that with respect to one Ivy, it would be a longshot because of the legacy kids. Then, some of the civilian colleges under that do yield protection so tend not to take the top tier kids as they assume they will go to the Ivys. Sometimes I feel like many DCUM parents don't see the "politics" and just focus on GPA and SAT/ACT as if it's a ticket, but it's not, it depends on the high school they are at and their competition within their high school class, and the historic track record of that high school with particular colleges.

Anonymous wrote:Shocking how much misinformation in this thread. My kid is actively applying to both and will determine where to go when results come back. I can tell you she is more concerned about the service academy and the challenge getting in there than she is getting into her highest rated traditional college. Before you go there, a prior comment used NYU Tufts Georgetown as an example and two of those schools she is applying to. Neither of them are her highest rated target.

For those of you that think these academies are a step down than the cherished Ivy or other you certainly can think that but you just dont know. Our family friend just had their daughter graduate Yale with an Anthropology degree and is of course looking for work. Of course its not in Anthropology. Try that at a service academy. You simply dont graduate a service academy with a degree that is not useful and applicable to a job coming right out of school.

Best of luck to your daughter! My son is a rising Yearling (sophomore) at West Point - couldn't be prouder and he is thriving - astrophysics major, currently at Air Assault school after finishing the month long field training after Plebe year. It truly is a 47 month long trial by fire.

Hoping you already know about serviceadademyforums.com - a terrific resource for applicants and their parents. Go Army! Beat Navy!

Anonymous wrote:Shocking how much misinformation in this thread. My kid is actively applying to both and will determine where to go when results come back. I can tell you she is more concerned about the service academy and the challenge getting in there than she is getting into her highest rated traditional college. Before you go there, a prior comment used NYU Tufts Georgetown as an example and two of those schools she is applying to. Neither of them are her highest rated target.

For those of you that think these academies are a step down than the cherished Ivy or other you certainly can think that but you just dont know. Our family friend just had their daughter graduate Yale with an Anthropology degree and is of course looking for work. Of course its not in Anthropology. Try that at a service academy. You simply dont graduate a service academy with a degree that is not useful and applicable to a job coming right out of school.

No knocks on anthropology from me but worth pointing out that if the academies DID offer it, she still would have had to take advanced math and science, be in outstanding physical condition, and have a ton of self-discipline, resilience, and leadership skills.

The apples to oranges poster is correct. And the guy who insists 1300. /3.7 is the end all be all of determining difficulty or selectivity is simply ignorant. And arrogant. I would like to see him try one year at an academy as an engineering major (as so many are) but chances are he has at least one physical condition that takes him out of the running - most of us do.

Congratulations to those of you with kids at the academies. It’s a noble achievement and it takes a special person (and a lot of hard work) to excel in so many different ways.

Anonymous wrote:Seriously I thought very highly of the service academies especially West Point before
They are cream of the crop in the military. 

I blindly thought their stat should be at least T30 equivalent plus all the extra.
Looks like the academic stat is 3.7 GPA and 1300 SAT.  This is far from elite and mediocre.

There are shit ton of decent athletes in high school in JV, Varsity, and Travel sports.  
You can easily find kids who have much higher stat + sports, and they can easily pass the physical test. 
The nomination things also looks just another formality

So after learning this, my level of respect went way down. 

You’re probably trolling, but I’d much rather work with a service academy grad than the typical Yale or SLAC grad. Much more well rounded individuals who wanted to serve, and they graduate into leadership positions. It’s a different kind of prestige, I guess.

Seriously I thought very highly of the service academies especially West Point before
They are cream of the crop in the military. 

I blindly thought their stat should be at least T30 equivalent plus all the extra.
Looks like the academic stat is 3.7 GPA and 1300 SAT.  This is far from elite and mediocre.

There are shit ton of decent athletes in high school in JV, Varsity, and Travel sports.  
You can easily find kids who have much higher stat + sports, and they can easily pass the physical test. 
The nomination things also looks just another formality

So after learning this, my level of respect went way down. 

Shocking how much misinformation in this thread. My kid is actively applying to both and will determine where to go when results come back. I can tell you she is more concerned about the service academy and the challenge getting in there than she is getting into her highest rated traditional college. Before you go there, a prior comment used NYU Tufts Georgetown as an example and two of those schools she is applying to. Neither of them are her highest rated target.

For those of you that think these academies are a step down than the cherished Ivy or other you certainly can think that but you just dont know. Our family friend just had their daughter graduate Yale with an Anthropology degree and is of course looking for work. Of course its not in Anthropology. Try that at a service academy. You simply dont graduate a service academy with a degree that is not useful and applicable to a job coming right out of school.

Anonymous wrote:I agree that this is apples and oranges. Service academies are like college applications plus a fitness tests plus a hardcore medical "test" plus a nomination.

So many kids get medically disqualified. PPs with a kid with a Ivy-worthy stats, look at your kid...is he colorblind? Ever have asthma? Eczema? Therapy? Anxiety or Depression in her past? Disqualified...

You get disqualified for eczema?

I agree that this is apples and oranges. Service academies are like college applications plus a fitness tests plus a hardcore medical "test" plus a nomination.

So many kids get medically disqualified. PPs with a kid with a Ivy-worthy stats, look at your kid...is he colorblind? Ever have asthma? Eczema? Therapy? Anxiety or Depression in her past? Disqualified...

Would service academies view an applicant that repeated a year of school not for academic reasons (academics very strong) but for social maturity reasons as plus or negative?

Anonymous wrote:

Marzipam wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Respect for the service academies, but other high ranked schools are filled with all sorts of varsity sports athletes so enough of the physical stuff.
No need to hype it up.

Of course. But I’m trying to answer the previous person’s question over which school is more difficult to get into. Take the top 10/20/50 whatever students in your high school and tell them to apply to both. I guarantee there will be fewer West Point acceptances (appointments.)

How many of the WP accepted students could make it to schools like NYU Tufts Georgetown with the 1300 average SAT

why are you so hung up on SAT scores? It's not a fair comparison when West Point requires scores and the other schools do not.

Again, tell your kid to apply to West Point and UVA and report back as to where they are admitted.

Test scores are vital part of the application if you didn't know.
check the scores before it was optional. Not much change.
My healthy 1540 SAT kid doesn't want that kind of life style.
Only handful of kids want that and that applicant pool is 1300 SAT.

WP average GPA is 3.7.
It's hard to make even T100 with those combination LOL
Enough. My level of respect is even going down a lot after this.

Marzipam wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Respect for the service academies, but other high ranked schools are filled with all sorts of varsity sports athletes so enough of the physical stuff.
No need to hype it up.

Of course. But I’m trying to answer the previous person’s question over which school is more difficult to get into. Take the top 10/20/50 whatever students in your high school and tell them to apply to both. I guarantee there will be fewer West Point acceptances (appointments.)

How many of the WP accepted students could make it to schools like NYU Tufts Georgetown with the 1300 average SAT

why are you so hung up on SAT scores? It's not a fair comparison when West Point requires scores and the other schools do not.

Again, tell your kid to apply to West Point and UVA and report back as to where they are admitted.

Test scores are vital part of the application if you didn't know.
check the scores before it was optional. Not much change.
My healthy 1540 SAT kid doesn't want that kind of life style.
Only handful of kids want that and that applicant pool is 1300 SAT.

ok

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Respect for the service academies, but other high ranked schools are filled with all sorts of varsity sports athletes so enough of the physical stuff.
No need to hype it up.

Of course. But I’m trying to answer the previous person’s question over which school is more difficult to get into. Take the top 10/20/50 whatever students in your high school and tell them to apply to both. I guarantee there will be fewer West Point acceptances (appointments.)

How many of the WP accepted students could make it to schools like NYU Tufts Georgetown with the 1300 average SAT

Anonymous wrote:Respect for the service academies, but other high ranked schools are filled with all sorts of varsity sports athletes so enough of the physical stuff.
No need to hype it up.

Of course. But I’m trying to answer the previous person’s question over which school is more difficult to get into. Take the top 10/20/50 whatever students in your high school and tell them to apply to both. I guarantee there will be fewer West Point acceptances (appointments.)